Aeroplane safety device



L. KOVACS.

AEROPLANE SAFETY DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 28, I920.

L3&6,21 L Patented July 13, 1920.

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L. KOVACS.

AEBOPLANE SAFETY DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED FEB.28, 1920.

1,3462 1 4. Pa ent d u y 13, 1928.

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LOUIS KOVACS, F THROGP, PENNSYLVANIA.

AEROPLANE SAFETY DEVICE.

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Application filed February 23, 1920.

, lie it .l-znown that l, Louis .llovaos, citizen oi? the Unitedtitates, and resident of 'lhroop, in the county of Laclzawanna andtltate of flennsylvania, have invented certain new and usefulimprovements in Aeroplane Safety Devices, oi which the following is aspecili *ation.

This invention relates to emergeirzy descensional devices for aeroplanesand especially to devices for emablinp the plane to descend slowly tothe ground in case it for any reasomdisabled.

The object of this invention is the provision eta lever controlledcollapsible device, designed to be automatically unfolded into operativeposition in any emergency for making a safe descent.

A further object of this inventi n is the provision of a light, safetydescensional device, normally mllapsed, which does not interfere withthe ordinary operation or the plane, and which offers little windresistance.

It is well known, that ordinarily, it the engrine oi the aeroplane shoid stop while the plane is in the air, the operator may olplane or glideto the earth. However. should a wing be damaged or give should theoperator be injured or oth rwise unable to guide the machine to theground, serious injury is certain to occur. it is my n pose to provide asu o nce to the air for retarding the fall, advantage being taken alsoof the initial horizontal velocity of the plane in the operation or mydevice.

For the accomplishment of the aforesaid and other objects, l employ thede' Ye shown in its preferred form in the accompanying drawings, inwhich,

Figure 1 is a side view of my invention as it appears in its operativeposition. Fig. ,2 is a side View and partial section of a per-- tion ofthe mechanism used for opening; my device automatically. Fig. 3 is afront view and partial section of the same. t is a plan View of thecontrolling lever which sets the operating mechanism in motion, 5 is aplan view of my invention as it appears when opened to its operativeposition. Fig. 6 is a vertical section of the same on line 6-6 of Fig.5.

In the practical embodiment of my inven tion, a pair of auxiliary wings1 and 2, of strong silk or other suitable fabric is Specification ofLetters Patent.

Patented July lit, 192th Serial No. 361.991.

supported by ribs 23 which a e spaced apart at suitable intervalsthroughout the length of said wings. The cross sectional shape of saidwings is preferably that shown in Fig. 6, the upper part at beingcylindrical. to increase to some extent, the air pressure therein, withtl e aid of the constricted opening 5 at the lower part thereof. Bods 6suitablv attached to the body of the plane at 7. pass through ribswhereby wings l and 2 are supported. from the iuselage 8,'said wingsbeing; connected by a series of cross bars suitably attached to said.ribs 3.

ln 7 the normal inoperative position of wings 1 and 2, ribs 53 assumethe position shown by the dash and dot lines in Fig. l, fabric 10 lyingin folds between said real F or normally maintaining said wing in thecollapsed position, grooved pulleys l2 and 13 on shafts 11 and 14respectively passing through the body of fuselage 8, are designed tohold line 1511015112tll3 stationary thereon.

lilechanism is provided for quickly drau inp; wings l and 2 from theircollapsed post tion to their extended position as shown by Figs. 1 and5, this being accomplished by the rotation of shaft 14: and pulley 13thereon, whereby line 15, which is attached to int one oi"? ribs 3, drus said rib toward shaft 14; until it can go no farther due to thetension on the fabric ll). lead: 1.6 on shaft l l is driven from seriesot gears 17 attached to spring c sings s 12?, which casings can berotated by s; ig's as 19. For winding up springs 19, the ends of shafts2% on which gears 17 are loosely mounted are squared at 20 to receive acrank key as 22, ratchet wheels as 21 being mounted on said shafts 2%near the ends thereof.

A casing 23 supports the various shafts 2d, pawls as 25 being pivotallysecured at 26 to said casing, said pawls being urged into engagementwith said ratchet wheels by means of springs 27 attached at one end 28to casing 23.

Shaft 14 is ordinarily prevented from rotating by bifurcated arm 29pivotally supportedfrom casing 23 by bracket 30 at 31, secured'at oneend to crank lever 32 at 33 and at its other end to hollow cylinder 3d,slidably mounted on shaft 14;. Pins 35 on shaft 14 normally engagenotches 36 in cylinder 34:, which cylinder is prevented from rotating byarm 29, whereby said shaft 14: is also prevented from rotating. Fordisengaging cylinder 84: from pins 35, crank lever 2 backto theircollapsed position manually,

at the convenience of the operator;

If an accident should occur while the plane is in the air, to preventthe operator from descending in the usual manner, as,

if the engine should be stalled or a wing should break, or the operatorshould become faint, crank lever is pulled, loosening toggle joint 37,whereby the distance between points 39 and 33 is shortened, and arm 29rotated about pivot 31 to disengage cylinder 3-ii from pins 35, aided byspring il; Shaft 1a is now free to rotate due to the action of springs19, through gears 16 and 17', and turns pulley 13 to operate line 15 forexpanding wings 1 and 2 to their most extended position. A. large airresisting surface is thereby suddenly presented, the sudden descent ofthe plane being checked, and the plane is allowed to reach the groundslowly. lVhat I claim is:

1. In combination withan aeroplane, a pair of collapsible wings, onearranged on each side of said aeroplane, each of said wings beingadapted for extension in the direction of the length of said aeroplane,a series of spring motors,'gears on said motors, a shaft operativelyconnected tosaid wings, a gear on said shaft operatively engaging saidmotorgears, and a control lever for causing sa1d' shaft to rotate forextending said wings.

2.-A device of the character described i comprising a pair ofcollapsible wings, each nr cross section approximately a semiellip...said wings being each provided with an auxiliary top compartment ofcircular cross section, longitudinally disposed rods attached to thefuselage of an aeroplane supporting said wings from the inner sides ofsaid wings, and means for extending said wings. V

In a d vice of the character described, in combination with anaeroplane, a pair of collapsible wings, each in cross sectionapproximately a semi-ellipse, each provided with an auxiliary topcompartment of circiilar cross section, and each comprising a series ofribs and a flexible cover for said ribs, rods fastened to said aeroplanepassing through that side of said ribsnearest the aeroplane, a pair ofpulleys-shafts supporting said pulleys passing through said plane, meansfor driving one of said shafts, and means normally preventing therotation of said last mentioned shaft.

4:. In a device of the character described,

in'combination with an aeroplane, a pair of collapsible wings disposedon each side of said aeroplane, each comprising a series of ribs whosecross sectional shape is approXL matelya semi-ellipse having anauxiliary top portion of circular cross section and a flexible cover forsaid ribs,'longitudinally disposed guides for saidwings attached to thefuselage and passing through said ribson the side adjacent to saidfuselage, controllable means for quickly unfolding said wings intooperative position, and means for normally preventing the unfolding ofsaid wings.

5. In a device of the character described, a pair of collapsible wings,each in cross section approximately a semi-ellipse, said wings beingeach provided with an auxiliary top compartment of circular crosssection,

supporting guides for one side of each of said wings, a shaft, means forrotating said shaft comprising a spring capable of being wound up, acasing for said spring, and a gear attached to said casing operativelyconnected to said shaft, means for normally preventing rotation of saidshaft, a pulley on said shaft, a second pulley disposed rearwardly ofsaid wings, and a line attached to wing passing around said pulleys forextending said wings on the'rotation of said shaft. i

in a device of the character-described, a pair of collapsible wings eachcomprising a series of ribs and a flexible cover'for said ribs,supporting guiderods passing through said ribs, a shaft, means forrotating said shaft, means for normally preventing the rotation of saidshaft, comprising pins in said shaft, a hollow cylinder engaging saidpins, a lever secured to said cylinder, and a gaged from said. pins.

' Signed at Throop, in the county of Lackawanna andState of Pennsylvaniathis 25th day of February, A. D. 1920. V a

' r LOUIS KOVACS.

